Fan attachment for chairs.



A. E. HAUSER.

FAN ATTACHMENT FOR CHAIRS.

APPLICATION men Aus.25. $915.

Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

Sam

M: mmms PE'rERs co.. mww-uma. wAsmNcmN, o 'c ALBERT EDMOND HAUSER, OF PELICAIST, LOUISIANA.

FAN ATTACHMENT FDR CHAIRS.

1,220t62td.

Speeification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2?, 191?.

Application fileditugust 25, 1915. Serial No. 47,254.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, ALBERT E. HAUsER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pelican, parish of De Soto, and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fan Attachments for Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fan attachments for chairs.

The object of my invention is the pro vision of an improved fan operating mechanism adapted for attachment to any chair and for operation by either the hand-or the foot of the occupant, whereby the mechanism may be operated without regard toany movement or rocking of the chair and enabling the occupant to operate the fan by the hands or feet according to which method is preferred at the time'and permitting the two methods to be used'in alternation, thus preventing fatigue.

My invention consists, first,in the novel combined foot and hand operating devices; second, the improved mechanism by which the motion is transmitted to the fan, and third, in the combination of the foot and hand operated devices with the mechanism that actuates the fan.

The embodiment of the invention which is hereinafter set forth is to be considered as illustrative, rather than restrictive, of the scope thereof as the invention is susceptible of modification.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation;

Fig. 2, a detail view showing how the treadle and hand lever cooperate; and

Fig. 3, a detail view of the mechanism by.

which the multiplying gearing is operated.

The invention is shown applied to a stationary chair 1, but it can be used on a rocking chair or any other chair.

Journaled in brackets 2 fastened to the bottom of the chair in any suitable manner, is a shaft 3 which is common to a treadle or foot lever 4 and a handle or hand lever 5. The hand'lever 5 is arranged at the side of the chair so that it can be readily grasped by one hand, but there may be two of these hand levers, one at each side of the chair, if desired. The foot lever or treadle 4: extends under the chair and out beneath the front part thereof in convenient position to be operated by the foot or feet. Both levers are fulorumed intermediate their ends. The hand lever 5 has an arm 6 provlded with a roller or sheave 7 which bears against the rear portion of the foot lever 4. Consequently, the hand lever, or, the foot lever, or, both the hand and the foot lever may be usedat a given time for operating the fan. So far as I am aware, I am the first to provide a combined hand and foot mechanism for this purpose and I do not, therefore,

limitmyself to the exact form and arrange ment of the hand and foot levers, nor to the exact manner in which the hand lever cooperates with the foot lever, except where specified in the claims.

Suitably secured to the back of the chair is a standard 8 having a horizontal forwardly extending part 9 which overhangs the chair. Mounted to slide vertically in suitable bearings on the standard 8 is a rack bar 10 whose lower end slides through the lower portion of the standard 8 and is pivoted -to the rear end of the lever 4- at 11. A coil spring 12 surrounding the rack bar and interposed between the lever 4; and lower end of standard 8 serves to normally press the rack bar downwardly and with it, keep the levers in suitable position. The spring also serves as a retnrn actuating device for the fan. To limit the downward movement of the rack bar, a pin or collar 13 carried thereby is adapted to engage the lower end of the standard. The rack bar need only be provided with teeth at its upper end portion as at 14:. Carried by bear ings on the part 9 is a rotary shaft 15 which has a pinion 16 engaging teeth 14: and held against a pin or collar 17 by a spring 18 which is carried by the standard 8 and has an aperture 19 that receives the end of the squared portion of the shaft 15 on which the pinion 16 is mounted. Means are thus provided for taking off the pinion at any time. A vertical shaft 20 and the shaft 15 carry intermeshing bevel gears 21 by which the shaft 20 is driven. Shaft 20 carries a large gear wheel 22 which serves as a fly wheel, but also meshes with a pinion 23 on a shaft 24 which carries another large gear 25 meshing with a pinion 26 on a shaft 27 which carries still another large gear wheel 28 meshing with a pinion 29 which is under the control of a leaf-spring governor 30 having friction pins 33 bearing on the upper face of the pinion 29 which is carried by jcomes such that the friction ofpins 33 suitablyincreases the pressure on pinion 29 to reduce the speed of the fan. Under normal speed, the fanis constantly driven with ease when theoperating levers 4 and 5 are operated.

The pins 33 may be of any suitable material, hardwood being an example.

The system of gears very greatly multiplies the speed of the shaft 15 so that a moderate movement of the levers 4: or 5, which can be accomplished with great ease on the part of the occupant of the chair, results in a relatively high rotation of the fan 32 and affords a suitable breeze for the occupant of the chair.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new'and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fan attachment for chairs, the combination with a fan, of a shaft for operating said fan, a pinion removably'secured on the shaft, a spring retaining device releasably receiving the end of the shaft, a collar on the shaft, said pinion being held against the collar by said spring retaining device, a rack engaging said pinion, and means for operating the rack.

. 2. In a fan attachment for chairs, the combination with a fan mounted to rise and fall, of operating means for said fan, and a friction governor-brake adapted to regulate the speed of the fan by the rise and fall of said fan.

3. In a fan attachment for chairs, the combination with a fan mounted to rise and fall, of operating means for said fan, and a leaf-spring governor having friction means adapted to engage the pinion to regulate the speed of the fan by the rise and fall of the latter.

4:. In a fan attachment for chairs, a fan operating mechanism comprising a fan driving shaft, a pinion carried thereby, a reciprocatable rack adapted to engage the pinion, guiding means for said rack, a lever adapted to operate the rack, said lever being positioned so as to be free of the floor and operable without moving the chair, and a coil spring surrounding a portion of the rack and adapted to retract said rack and lever.

5. In a fan attachment for chairs, a rotary fan, multiplying gearing for operating said fan, a shaft for operating said gearing, a pinion carried by the shaft, a reciprocatable rack for operating the pinion, guiding means for said rack, spring means for retracting the rack, and cooperating hand operable and foot operable levers for operating the rack, said levers being adapted for individual on conjoint operation without moving the chair and both of them being positioned so as to be free of the floor.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

ALBERT EDMOND HAUSER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

